The Ghost in the Wheelchair
by superscar
Summary: My response to the same challenge everyone and their mother is answering. Only, I am 72 words over the limit. ML [Oh, don't say that, you know you love me.]


This is my RESPONSE to the Cape Haven Writer's Group challenge to write an M/L ghost story in less than 1500 words. [M/L, check. Ghost story, check. Less than 1500 words...hmm, we'll see.]  
  
The Ghost in the Wheelchair by Scarlet  
  
A/N: I love my responses. (Read this quick, I don't expect it to be up long.)  
  
It has long been acknowledged that a murdered party will remain in this realm as a ghost until the mystery of their untimely demise has been solved and their killer brought to justice.  
  
However, this is wholy unrelated to THIS story because no one would murder Logan, he's just not that cool. Even if they did, they wouldn't keep it a secret, there are rewards for this kind of thing.  
  
But as it turns out, Logan died of neglect. Yes, neglect. Everyone forgot about him and he withered away without notice. For awhile, he wasn't even aware he was a ghost, but that ended when he realized he couldn't type on his computer anymore, nor could he put on his exoskeleton *either of them.*  
  
Not that the little one had much use these days.  
  
You know, now that he didn't have time to play dress up.  
  
Much to his great annoyance and frustration, he still didn't have the use of his legs.  
  
Logan was only mildly comforted by the fact that he could go through walls, but still intended to send a strongly worded cable hack to whoever was in charge of this entire business.  
  
Always wanting to know what was going on, Logan wheeled himself right on through the walls of Joshua's house and on to Terminal City. He seemed to have an unlimited supply of energy, so he wheeled himself through all the buildings that stood in his way.  
  
He had to get to the bottom of this. Why was he dead? Why didn't anyone come looking for him? And WHY couldn't he walk? Logan continued to roll along through houses, tsking.  
  
Finally arriving in Terminal City, Logan set about finding Max. How dare she leave him alone for so long that he died. Why would she not return his pages?  
  
Inside HQ, Dix picked up a small plastic object and tossed it to Joshua. "Isn't that Max's?"  
  
"Little Fella...smash it last week."  
  
"Why? She want me to fix it?"  
  
"Beep too much, make her crazy. Alec say 'Call him back, already,' Max say, 'Mind your own business, Alec.' Alec ask, 'This about the hand holding I was forced to witness?' Max hit Alec. Alec remind her he was shot. Max look sorry. I tell Alec he was shot in the other arm. Max hit Alec again. Alec say 'Thanks, Josh' and it kept beeping. Little Fella smashed it against the wall and end discussion."  
  
"Huh, yeah, I thought it was quieter around here," Dix nodded.  
  
Logan fumed. She could just tell him not to page so much, she didn't have to ignore him to death!  
  
"Where is Max?" Logan asked, realizing immediately that they could not hear him and wondering why he even bothered trying.  
  
"Because Max and Alec not fighting," Joshua told Dix, stopping Logan's move to leave the room.  
  
Mole entered the room and Logan sighed at the sight.  
  
"They sure aren't."  
  
Setting aside thoughts of the way the light bounced off the green of Mole's scales, Logan's eyes narrowed as suspicions entered his mind.  
  
Why wouldn't Max and Alec be fighting anymore? If Max hadn't assured him just weeks ago that they had never been together, it would seem as though...  
  
Logan started to wheel quickly out the door, going straight through Max's body as she and Alec walked into HQ.  
  
Max spun suddenly, looking around.  
  
"What's wrong?" Alec asked, his eyes searching the room.  
  
"I...nothing, I just felt this weird chill."  
  
Alec seemed to accept this and turned around, taking her hand as he did so. "Well, no one's here."  
  
Logan stared at their hands, certain this was just a gesture to reassure her in their every growing friendship.  
  
Max interlocked her fingers with the other X5, "Sorry, I guess I'm just crazy."  
  
"No, you should listen to your instincts," he smiled, "It's done nothing but good so far, right?" he winked at her and she rolled her eyes.  
  
Eyes narrowing, Logan began to see why she hadn't seen fit to return his call.  
  
"What if my instinct tells me to call Logan?" Max asked.  
  
Alec groaned and Logan's ears perked up, for it was obvious Max had seen the error of her ways and now wished to get back together.  
  
"Just kidding," Max grinned, pulling Alec's head down for a kiss.  
  
Grimacing, Logan waited for the expected feeling of nausea, but it never came. He blamed it on no longer possessing a stomach, but it is perfectly clear that not even Logan can be nauseated by Max and Alec kissing. It is just too damn hot.  
  
It became clear that they didn't plan to stop.  
  
Beginning to get annoyed, Logan ran through them with his wheelchair.  
  
They sprang apart and looked around. "Was that what you felt before?" Alec asked.  
  
"Yeah, exactly."  
  
Logan backed through Alec again and he spun around. Smirking, Logan did it a few more times.  
  
"Let's go," Alec murmured, pulling Max into HQ.  
  
They began to discuss business with Dix and every time they started to touch, Logan ran through them. Typical father figure type behavior, just can't let the kids get down and dirty.  
  
"OK, what the FUCK is going on?" Alec asked after the tenth time he tried to hold Max's hand.  
  
Max shrugged helplessly.  
  
"Uhh...what's up, guys?"  
  
"Watch," Alec reached out to grab Max's hand, but pulled back at the last second. However, Logan was already rolling and went through them anyway. "HAH! Fooled it!"  
  
Max rolled her eyes, "It is a weird feeling, it isn't intelligent."  
  
Logan took personal offense to that and ran through Max.  
  
"Did you feel that?"  
  
Alec shook his head. "Apparently, it didn't think much of you doubting its intelligence, Maxie."  
  
"I...are you intelligent?"  
  
Communication, Logan raised his eyebrows, sliding through her. Interesting.  
  
"I guess that was a 'yes'...?" Max looked at Alec and Logan slid through her yet again.  
  
"OK! Cut it out, that's creepy!"  
  
"Yeah," Alec laughed, "Cause if it stops, it won't be creepy."  
  
"Shut up, Alec."  
  
Logan wheeled through him to emphasize her point.  
  
"Man, this thing really doesn't like me. Hey, you think it's Logan?"  
  
Logan wheeled back and forth through him until Alec blurred behind Max.  
  
"That seemed like a yes to me," Alec coughed, "It would explain why it was pissed off when we were making out."  
  
"But nothing else," she glared at Alec, "Gimme your phone."  
  
"What's the magic word?"  
  
"Couch?"  
  
Alec's hand blurred to give her the phone.  
  
She smiled and dialed.  
  
Obviously, there was no answer.  
  
"Mole, find someone to check out Logan's place."  
  
"He in trouble?" Mole asked.  
  
Logan was pleased to find SOMEONE cared if he lived or died.  
  
[Note the Mole/Logan interaction here, signifying that this story IS, in fact, M/L. That's right.]  
  
"I don't know, find out."  
  
Mole went himself and Logan followed, amazed at the lizard-man's remarkable agility as he snuck his way to Joshua's old place.  
  
What he found was most disturbing and Mole huddled in a corner, tears pouring down his green cheeks.  
  
Logan floated over to him, unmindful of the fact that his chair had not gone with him as he sat beside the tramatized nomalie.  
  
"She never really loved you, but I...I, never mind," Mole wiped his tears and got up, dialing his cell phone.  
  
"Alec here."  
  
"He's dead."  
  
"DEAD?!? How?"  
  
"Just at his computer, staring at a blank screen."  
  
"Weird."  
  
"Looks like he is trying to call someone."  
  
"Speed dial Max, probably," Alec muttered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind, just get back here, I'll send some people out to take care of it."  
  
One more tear slid down his face and Mole took his leave.  
  
Logan was very touched by the lizard, though not in a way that would be appropriate to write about. Eww.  
  
Floating though the door, Logan became aware that he was flying. This still didn't impress him because he wanted to walk. Honestly, the guy was a little obsessed with the subject and should probably have let it go. He was flying. But then again, if anyone could make flying uncool, it would be Logan.  
  
Back at HQ, Max and Alec digested the news.  
  
"So...Logan is dead," Max muttered, apparently in shock.  
  
"Yeah," Alec told her, watching her for signs of break down.  
  
"So that was...Logan's ghost?" she made a face.  
  
Logan floated up and crossed his arms. Bet she felt bad NOW.  
  
"Of all the DICK things to do!"  
  
Alec shook his head, "I'm sorry, WHAT?"  
  
Logan stared at Max. He was a dick for DYING?  
  
"What's he gonna do now, HAUNT me? Watch us..." she made a hand gesture that both Alec and Logan interpreted as 'Screw like animals.' The former was pleased with it, the latter was not.  
  
"Well, it's not that bad of a sight..." Alec made the mistake of speaking.  
  
Max hit him and Logan flew through him.  
  
"OK, OK! Solve this on your own!"  
  
"Logan," Max put her hands on her hips, "we have been over for a long time. I know you wanted us to be together, but there was the virus and then there was Alec and NOW you're dead. I'm sorry about that, but you can't watch us, that's just sick!"  
  
Logan grudgingly acknowledged that she had a point. He would have argued that he didn't WANT to watch, but that would have been the worst sort of lie. That'd be the best porn ever.  
  
He'd died because he'd been neglected. He'd been neglected because Max and Alec were busy screwing and he still couldn't WALK because he didn't need to, he floated.  
  
Mystery solved, Logan started to fade away, but not before giving Mole a kiss goodbye. At least SOMEONE had taste.  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: This is just funny:  
  
* Moch|downloadingillegalroms is now known as M_L * M_L has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer) Infie EVen IRC hates the idea of M/L 


End file.
